Science

Science

Vision

Excellence achieved through care, creativity and challenge.

Intent

Our curriculum provides pupils with a high-quality science education where children get to work scientifically in biology, chemistry and physics to build the foundations of their understanding of the world. One of our primary goals is to set pupils up for their future from an early age and to then be confident with the skills and knowledge they’ve gained for when they start secondary school.  Pupils will learn to think like a scientist, develop their enquiry skills and natural curiosity about the world and how to change it.

Implementation

Our curriculum is divided into the purple threads of working scientifically, biology, chemistry and physics, in line with the National Curriculum. The curriculum has been designed to ensure that regular review of the topics within the threads enable pupils to deepen scientific concepts as they progress through the school. Our catchment demography means that it is vital that we build pupil’s science capital and give life experiences that they would not be exposed to outside of school.

We use the Developing Experts scheme to support teaching and resourcing of lessons. In every lesson, scientific vocabulary is taught and discussed at the beginning so children can then become more confident and use the vocabulary in their learning. Throughout the science lessons, pupils are given a range of different experiences to develop and demonstrate their knowledge through practical activities, discussion and questioning.

We recognise that to ensure pupils have the solid foundations to understand the world we must provide weekly lessons as well as purposeful cross-curricular learning opportunities such as in maths and computing. Science is taught for an hour a week using Developing Experts as a starting point. Every half term the children are provided with a new theme from Developing Experts.

To build children’s science capital we expect teachers to engage with Developing Experts’ investigations, Big Bangs, educational visits and have experts from the broader community enrich pupil’s learning. The science resources we have supports teaching and staff are trained in how to use the equipment where appropriate (e.g. data loggers). We want to inspire the children’s curiosity from an early age so that they have a positive outlook on science and understand the importance it has in our lives.

Impact

Throughout the science lessons knowledge is built upon week after week which allows for connections to be made. Teachers assess children’s learning so that they can plan for more support or further challenge in following sessions. Regular formative assessment such as quizzes and hinge questions inform the termly assessments and assess pupil’s progress. Children have the scientific knowledge and skills to not only confidently continue in their next stage of education, but to adopt a positive attitude towards science and see themselves as an individual able to work in STEM if they so wish.

Enhancements

Every year we hold a Science Week to celebrate the subject and share what the pupils have been learning about. Educational trips and visitors support pupil’s science capital. We also have science clubs to give children the choice to engage in even more enrichment opportunities.

Science Progression 

Knowledge Organisers are available here: www.kingshedgesprimary.org.uk/learning/knowledge-organisers